Drake Blackwell is successful, controlling, and hiding a violent family past. He just made his latest investment: Noriko.

Imported from Japan and wed to a stranger, Noriko struggles to stick to the rules of a Good Wife. Drake can’t seem to love her, not the way she wants to be loved. She dreams of freedom beyond the gates of Blackwell Manor.

She meets Keir, a passionate young gardener who shares her desire to break free. He gets under her skin and ignites a fire in her she can’t ignore. In the midst of her quiet desperation she thinks she has found happiness. And a glimpse of hope.

But this affair can’t last…can it?

There is a darkness lingering, but not how you’d expect. There are monsters, but not as you usually know them. The truth is, in this story, no one is completely innocent. And it’s always darkest before the dawn.

Although part of a series, this is a standalone novel with no cliffhanger.

WARNING: For ages 18+. There are scenes in this novel that infer or allude to physical violence.

“Noriko…”

I paused.

“Never mind,” he said.

I turned to face him. “No, it’s something. Say it.”

“I was going to ask you something but…”

“Please, ask. You’ve just done me the most wonderful thing. If there’s anything I can do.”

“This might sound stupid.”

“Try me.”

“Can we, just for a while, pretend that you aren’t you and I’m not me?”

“Who would we be then?”

“Anyone.”

“Anyone?”

“I just need…someone to talk to.”

“And you want to talk to me?”

“Yes. No. I don’t want to talk to Mrs. Riko Blackwell. I want to talk to the girl I found standing in my Japanese garden. The one I found so easy to talk to. I don’t think there’s anyone in the world who might understand me, except for her.”

A. Jenn from I Heart Books told me she thought it was similar (but different) to Insidious by Aleatha Romig. I haven’t read Insidious so I can’t say whether it’s true or not (but it’s now on my TBR list).

Q. What’s next?

A. Paper Dolls, a psychological thriller/love story about a woman who has to choose whether she saves her sister or her boyfriend, is coming out early Jan 2016. Then A Wild & Terrible Love (A Good Wife #2), a tale of wild love and revenge, shortly afterwards.

Hanna is the bestselling author of the Bound romantic suspense series and the Dark Angel fantasy series. Although she writes in more than one genre she can’t write a book without weaving together a complicated plot and filling it with twists. She writes what she believes: good people can do bad things, ordinary people can do great things and choose love above everything.

Eternally restless, Hanna has lived in Indonesia, Australia, Germany, Scotland, England, Croatia and Ireland – everything she owns fits into one suitcase. She’s planning her next move with her gorgeous (and understanding) partner right now. If not writing, she can be found wandering a dusty market in Marrakesh or trekking a mountain in Peru, often using her travels as settings in her novels.

It was the best kiss I’d ever received, but also the worst. It sparked lust and need in every inch of me. My lips wanted more, my tongue wanted savagery. My skin wanted to bruise because he needed to touch me so badly.

All my thoughts disappeared as I nipped at his bottom lip. He flinched, but a second later he copied, his sharp canines piercing my oversensitive flesh.

I moaned.

I couldn’t take it.

My hands flew up and gripped his shirt. Yanking him toward me, fireworks whizzed in my fingertips; my heart galloped toward exploding with lust. I’d never been so drunk on someone before.

Then I landed flat on my back.

The crack of my skull jangled my teeth. The thick carpet did little to cushion me. My eyes flared wide and I grunted in pain. Fear, hot and terrible, swamped my lust in a dampening wave.

Sure, my name is Pepper Winters. I speak with an English accent, have been lucky enough to live in a few countries around the world, and love to write dark, twisted love stories while in my PJ’s. I’m married to a French Canadian and have a house rabbit. That’s about it. With regards to my writing, I’ve always loved getting into the heads of people. I love to twist their darkest desire and confront their greatest fear. I find it brings a much deeper story into life. However, I’m about to release a Contemporary Romance that won’t be dark and I’m enjoying writing it immensely.

What inspired you to write the book included in Take Me?

Destroyed was, and still is to this day, the hardest book I’ve had to write. It took a lot out of me. The characters didn’t behave and the plot line went in a completely different direction than the one I intended. I fought it every step—which made it incredibly hard to write. However, the book went on to hit the USA Today Bestseller, Indie Choice, and earned me a publishing deal with Grand Central (Hachette) publishing. So even though it took so much out of me, it gave back so much more.

Who is your favorite character that you’ve written and why?

My favourite character to date. That’s an exceedingly hard question. Mainly because each book I write there is something I love about each character. However, if I have to pick, I’m going to break the rules a little and choose two. Q Mercer from Monsters in the Dark Series will always have a piece of my heart. He’s so damaged but so strong. So twisted but so loyal. I loved getting into his headspace. I’m also falling for Jethro Hawk from the Indebted Series. He has a lot beneath the surface and my heart breaks for him with what he has to deal with.

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

Hardest part is my eyesight currently. Before, I could stare at a screen for 18 hours a day with no problem. Now, I have to wear glasses and they get tired very quickly. I can write very fast when I’m in the zone (up to 13,000 words a day) but unless my eyes are focusing, it’s hard. I’m lucky that I don’t really deal with writer’s block. If I do, I’ll get my notepad and pen out and do some plotting. That always helps get me back on track.

Tell us about your upcoming release!

I have a few coming out. 2015 is going to be my busiest year yet. I have Second Debt (Indebted #3) coming out on the 26th Jan, followed by Third Debt (Indebted #4), Forbidden Flaws (Contemporary Romance), Ruin & Rule (MC Romance 28th July), Fourth Debt (Indebted #5), Je suis a toi (Monsters in the Dark Novella), Final Debt (Indebted #6). Busy year! The Indebted Series are a dark romance dealing with diamonds, debts, and unwavering loyalties.

Prizes:

A LOT of signed books and ebooks ❤

Signed copy of Twist Me by Anna Zaires and Dima Zales (US only)

Signed copy of Filthy Beautiful Lies by Kendall Ryan (INTL)

Signed print copy of Don’t Let Go by Skye Warren (INTL)

Signed paperback of Spin and Ruin by CD Reiss (US only)

Signed copy of Rule’s Obsession by Lynda Chance (US only)

Signed copy of Rule’s Property by Lynda Chance (US only)

Signed copy of Rule’s Addiction by Lynda Chance (US only)

Signed print book A Beautiful Prison by Jenika Snow (INTL)

2 Signed print books from Pam Godwin, winner’s choice (US only)

2 Signed print books One Kiss with a Rock Star by Shari Slade and Amber Lin (INTL)

Signed print copy of Otherwise Alone by Shay Savage (US only)

Signed copy of Close Liaisons by Anna Zaires and Dima Zales (US only)

Signed print copy of Take the Heat by Skye Warren, Pam Godwin, and others (INTL)

Signed swag pack from Pam Godwin (US only)

Signed swag pack from Pepper Winters (INTL)

Swag envelope and custom made A Beautiful Prison keychain from Jenika Snow (INTL)

Ebook of the complete Krinar Trilogy by Anna Zaires and Dima Zales (INTL)

Ebook of Keep Me by Anna Zaires and Dima Zales (INTL)

Ebook of ThoughReaders by Anna Zaires and Dima Zales (INTL)

2 E-copies of The Devil’s Kiss: Complete Series by Gemma James (INTL)

Ebook of A Beautiful Prison by Jenika Snow (INTL)

Ebook of Monsters in the Dark Series by Pepper Winters (INTL)

Ebook of the first three books in the Indebted Series by Pepper Winters (INTL)

Emily Hobbs is off to Salem State College when a chance encounter with a fortuneteller changes everything. Emily is transported to the realm of Elyzia and learns that she is, in fact, one of the most powerful witches in existence.

Madame Lavache, the strict headmistress of Cedalion Covenstead, has her sights set on Emily. In her desperate cling to power, Lavache attempts to protect her tyranny by invoking sinister forces, including bloodthirsty pirates and The Devil himself, to rid Elyzia of the rebellious witch.

Along with her companions – an old hermit, a small coven of witches, and their totems – Emily sets out on a collision course with destiny.

A: First, the plots of the novels follow a tarot reading set out early in the stories. This gave the novels a structure and theme I could really work with. Each chapter involves the decoding of a tarot card in the spread. Secondly, I incorporated elements from witchcraft, tarot, astrology, mythology, and runes into each story. This gave Elyzia its richness. It made for interesting characters, suspenseful plot threads, and themes that I could string throughout. It’s really a comprehensive blend of fantasy.

Q: Are there spells in your stories?

A: There just may be. I strongly advise not attempting them at home. Only experienced witches should meddle in magick and spellcasting. I did alter some recipes slightly … for no good reason.

Q: What does New Adult offer your stories?

A: New Adult is a real shift from young adulthood to adulthood. It’s that brief space in time where things are really exciting and a person has to figure out who they are. For some people, it’s a traumatic experience. It can be tremendously invigorating too. I think, for stories, it makes for extra dramatic (any perhaps traumatic) events – psychological, emotional, spiritual or physical. I try to capture a lot of these perspectives throughout the series.

Q: What is the main theme of The Elyzian Chronicles?

A: There are a lot of themes interwoven throughout the chronicles, but if I can sum it up it’s: to truly know yourself is to have all the power in the world. I think that can be dissected in many ways, but essentially its understanding and embracing your own unique identity despite a world that tries to change you. Understanding your fears, knowing your limits (or the cause of your limits) is a liberating thing. I think people learn who they are forced by people or circumstance to honestly look at themselves. I believe it’s a powerful thing, and ultimately a positive one.

Q: What is your writing process like?

A: Painful and slow. I have a natural impatience. Writing for me is grueling. I did a ton of research for the chronicles, not just for world-building but also for the magick and mythology. I wanted to keep true to the various elements (witchcraft, tarot, mythology) I was using, to a degree. I wanted to be respectful of those things and still push the envelope a little. I think once you understand something, you figure out where you can play with it a little to make it distinctive. I write at night, often late into the night. It makes for foggy mornings, and with a 3 year old daughter that’s pretty trying. I write linearly, mostly. I did skip forward when I got stuck, and revisited places once I fleshed out some of the heftier parts. But, I’m not one for rules. I wrote poetically where I wanted to. I wrote flowery where I wanted to. I think the modern convention of chopping hundreds of words has some merit, but in fantasy I think you need to build entire worlds and civilizations. That is done with words, so it is a real challenge to strike that balance.

Q: Who would play your main characters in a movie?

A: I’ve gone over this a million times in my head over the past few years. I think a majority of authors want to see their books become movies. It’s a natural progression. If an author says differently, they could possibly be lying. Emily is such a complicated character. I’d have to say Kate Mara would be a top choice. I’d love to see upstart talent in any role. I always pictured Uma Thurman as Madame Lavache. I’d have loved to see Robin Williams play Paronskaft, the quirky old hermit.

Q: Why did you choose to write a female protagonist?

A: Witchcraft, and paganism in general, is strongly influenced by feminine power. It was a simple choice, really. One of the great things to come from Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code was a reintroduction of the concept of the sacred feminine into our lexicon. I think Brown really helped to educate a generation about the suppression and obfuscation of feminine spirit and the historical importance of goddess worship. For me, it was about honoring the struggles of a strong female, against other strong women and men. The gender stereotypes are broken down and juxtaposed in the chronicles. We see this with Emily’s sexuality, and with the contrast with, say, the pirate captains Brodish and Dresden. In Sinfluence, I depict even starker contrasts with the character Braun (a satyr).

Q: What readers would enjoy Hysteriata and the rest of The Elyzian Chronicles?

A: Definitely folks who read Rowling, but also readers who really enjoy some hefty NA. My characters endure some pretty intense situations. There are struggles between love and hate, power and weakness, fate and freedom, life and death, action, suspense, drama, satire, romance – all wrapped up in this magickal world. The series has believable characters with complex relationships. There is a lot for everyone really.

Q: What is your all-time favorite book and why?

A: It’s going to sound a little strange, but my absolute favorite book is The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. It was one of the first books I read where I was like, “Wow! This is how you can play with words! This is art!” It shows in some of the words I created and my book titles. I believe that type of creative license makes treetrunk and springwater single words. Sometimes, as a writer, you just ignore parts of spellcheck when you know it works. My all-time favorite New Adult read, so far, is Butterman Time Travel Inc by PK Hrezo. It’s some awesome sci-fi. Very solid contemporary and super fun.

Q: What’s your advice to other writers?

A: I don’t typically offer writing advice. It’s just a very personal and private craft. But I will say this: I think one of the biggest mistakes writers make is they select a time for writing, and everyday they sit down at whatever-o’clock and open their laptop to begin typing. It’s the wrong approach – and apologies to any NaNoWriMo-ers out there. I don’t believe in it. I think we put an enormous amount of pressure on ourselves, myself too, to produce. Perhaps the best nights I spent “writing” were those I actually didn’t write a single word. I just daydreamed of that place or those characters. Sure I beat myself up over it, but looking back over four years of writing a series, I find that those were my most successful nights. Just thinking. Just owning that space. Just being in that story for awhile. The words will come when they come.

D A Botta has written four New Adult Fantasy novels, The Elyzian Chronicles, and has also published a collection of poems There in Them Blues. D A is currently working on a New Adult Mystery series, Seriously Confidant, projected for debut in the fall of 2015. D A is a Fantasy Representative for NA Alley and frequents #NALitChat on Twitter. When not writing, D A plays guitar and dabbles in graphic design. D A lives with his family in Massachusetts.

When you lose the one person that was your whole life, you’ll understand. For me, it was my best friend, Alice. We spent every second of every day together. We planned a life. I was actually living. I was happy.

Now, it’s just gone.

And I’m still here. Lonely. A tatted up body with an empty soul.

Getting inside of my head won’t be pretty. I’m warning you now that you won’t like me. I hate people besides my family. I hate everything around me. I just want to be alone. And I HATE how Logan Mercer doesn’t understand that. He’s everywhere; getting inside of my head, kissing me when he shouldn’t be, messing everything up, and trying to get me to open up. He’s making me crazier than I already am. Why do I need to talk about my life? Why does he even care?

Why doesn’t anyone understand that I don’t want to get attached to people? I don’t want to get fixed.

I want to be alone.

I want to be free.

I want to fly.

My name is Rebeckah Lennox and this is my story…of how I fell.

WARNING: Due to heavy subject matter, strong language, possible triggering descriptions of self-harm and some sexual situations this book is not recommended for anyone under the age of 17.

۞

۞

I’m not dateable. I’m not the girl you bring home to meet your parents. I’m not even the girl you leave your animals with. I’m the girl you stay away from because I’m bad news. I’m the girl that gets into trouble. I’m the girl your parents use as an example to stay clear of and find a girl with clean skin, a nice mouth and manners. No one wants to date a bitch. You just fuck them.

A: People in general. Everything a person says or does-positive and negative-is powerful. I admit to people-watching so I see a lot of things. What captures my attention the most are the quiet people. The ones taking everything in but not letting anything out. They’re fighting their own battles that no one can see. They feel trapped and I want to set them free in any way I can. That includes writing.

Q: How did you come up with the title?

A: Don’t Let Me Fall’s title hit me while I was about to fall asleep one night. Rebeckah’s story will not be pretty nor happy. She wants to give up and in a way, she already has. I wanted to give her something to fight for. To live for. I didn’t want her to fall.

Q: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

A: Yes, I want readers to see the ugly side of life; the hurt, the pain and the loss one goes through when losing a vital part of your life bur I also want readers to see that there is hope. After everything, giving up shouldn’t be an option.

Q: What is your favorite book?

A: I have to cheat and go with a series. Two to be exact. The Addicted series and the spin-off, the Calloway Sisters by Krista and Becca Ritchie. I absolutely adore these ladies and they are on my auto-buy list!

Q: Do you see writing as a career?

A: Writing is my life. I’d do it all day long if I had the chance!

Q: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

A: My books; The Enough Trilogy and Don’t Let Me Fall, take place in or around Boston because it’s where I’m from so everything is within grasp. I need to travel soon for upcoming books and I’m looking forward to it!

Q: Do you have any advice for other writers?

A: Write. Whenever you have time and the voices in your head don’t stop, just write. Don’t let anyone stop you. The best ideas come when you least expect them.

Q: Do you listen to music while you write? What’s your favorite song?

A: All the time. Music plays a huge part in my writing so the playlists are on repeat while working on my book. And as of right now, my favorite song will have to be Untitled 27 by Polly Scattergood. It’s the theme song for Don’t Let Me Fall and 100% Rebeckah.

Q: Where can I stalk you?

A: (Love this question) You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Goodreads.

۞

Briana Pacheco

Briana Pacheco hates referring to herself in third person so let’s start off with I’m the author of the Enough Trilogy, Don’t Let Me Fall, and many more books to come in the future. I’m from Boston and a wannabe explorer so one day I’ll travel the world. So far, that’s only happening when I write but I’m not giving up just yet. I love coffee, music and books, and I have an obsession with tattoos and accents. Sadly, I have neither so I make my characters have them instead. I’m an avid reader and if I’m not writing, you’ll find me with a book (or Kindle) in my hands. I love hearing from readers about anything so please don’t be shy and stalk me.

He seethes with raw power the first time I see him—pure menace and rippling muscles in shackles. He’s dangerous. He’s wild. He’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

So I hide behind my prim glasses and my book like I always do, because I have secrets too. Then he shows up in the prison writing class I have to teach, and he blows me away with his honesty. He tells me secrets in his stories, and it’s getting harder to hide mine. I shiver when he gets too close, with only the cuffs and the bars and the guards holding him back. At night I can’t stop thinking about him in his cell.

But that’s the thing about an animal in a cage—you never know when he’ll bite. He might use you to escape. He might even pull you into a forest and hold a hand over your mouth so you can’t call for the cops. He might make you come so hard, you can’t think.

And you might crave him more than your next breath.

“Sexy, dark and thrilling. I loved every second of it!” – New York Times bestselling author Katie Reus

۞

I back up until the truck stops me. I’m sweating, but the hot metal is almost a relief. Warmer and more human than the flesh-and-blood beast that looms in front of me.

But I have something to say too. Something true. And I want him to listen. “You might hurt me. You might touch me. But I will never, ever touch you. Not of my own free will.”

I’m shaking by the time I’m finished talking. Tears are threatening again, but I don’t care about them. They don’t make me weak. I know what real weakness is. I saw it inject itself with drugs and hook up with abusive men just to get its fix. I watched it die. That will never be me. Never.

He reaches up to cup my cheek—the side without the scrape. On purpose? I don’t know. He trails his thumb over my eyebrow and down my temple. Places he couldn’t touch when I had my glasses. Like he’s learning me, mapping my face. The inside of my chest feels bright and quivery, but I keep my frown.

“So I can touch you?” he asks gently. “But you won’t touch me back.”

My voice trembles. “I didn’t say that.”

“Didn’t you?” His hand trails lower, down my neck. Goose bumps rise all across my chest and over my arms despite the heat.

He caresses my skin right where my collarbone is, softly, with the back of his knuckles. I clench my fists at my sides, dreading what comes next. He’s going to keep moving lower, until he’s touching my breasts. And then what will I do? Cry? Scream? There’s no one to hear me. The guy from the truck has disappeared over the ridge.

I let my eyes close. “Stop.”

“You don’t want this.” His tone is conversational.

“I hate you.”

“What do you want, then?”

“I want you to die. I want to hurt you. I want you to let me go.”

He laughs softly, a puff of breath against my forehead. “In that order?”

My teeth clench together. “Take your pick.”

“You know what I think, Abby? I can call you that, right? It’s cute. Like you.” His hand curves to the side, feathering light touches along the cashmere of my sweater. He grips my hip as if we’re dancing. And we are dancing. It’s a sick song he plays.

“I think you want to fix me. That’s what you were doing at the prison. That’s what you’re doing now. But the thing is, Abby, it’s not going to work.”

SW – Nothing and everything. I love the actual writing, coming up with a story and falling in love with them. But reader expectation is such a tough thing—it’s tough in any genre but has particular challenges for dark books. Even the word dark means different things to different readers. But ultimately I can only write the books I love and hope that my readers enjoy them.

AM – A lot of writers hate revising and love first drafts, but I’m the opposite – I am crazy about revising–I like to mold and change things in big ways once the words are there. But I write a sloooooow and grueling first draft, and I daydream a lot and change my mind a lot. It’s a total challenge! That was one really nice thing about writing in a team—knowing Skye was at the other end, expecting me to come up with something new and exciting every day was kind of nice. But getting those first words down is hard and slow for me.

What are your current projects?

SW – I’m working on a boxed set with two of my books, Trust in Me and Don’t Let go, which will have some exclusive content—a new prologue and epilogue. That’s coming in November. And next I’ll have a dark mafia based on the Cinderella fairy tale.

AM – I’m working on the next book by my other pen name, Carolyn Crane. It’s one of my gritty, sexy romantic suspense books. This one is about Zelda, who helps run this shadowy organization. She has to go undercover as a prostitute, taking her twin sister’s place to infiltrate a drug cartel. The hero is a very dangerous assassin. I wanted to call him Sessimo, but everybody hates that name, so I’m thinking of a different one now.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

SW – Message is too strong a word, but there are certain recurring themes in my books. Redemption is a big one, trying to atone for your past failings, believing you had overcome only to be sucked back into it, fighting to better this time, stronger this time. The other recurring theme in my books is that everyone deserves to find love. That means some very dark characters walk the pages of my books.

AM – There are themes that writers return to over and over. One of my themes I return to, even when I’m not trying, is two super messed-up people finding love with each other, and being messed up together, and loving each other for their flaws (and not getting rid of them, because to me, flaws are what make people who they are!) So I guess my message is, even if you feel like you’re really screwed up, being really and truly yourself is beautiful and you deserve love.

Are there any new authors that have grasp your interest?

SW – Most recently I really loved Push by Claire Wallis. It’s dark and original. And these aren’t new but they’re new to me. I loved the Roxie Rivera Russian protector series, because it incorporates very serious issues while still being sweet and sexy. I’m currently reading Fallen by Leslie Tentler, it’s a gripping romantic suspense. After I read her first series, she’s an auto-buy author for me.

AM – Rebecca Rogers Maher wrote this fabulous novella about two people who meet on a bridge they are going to kill themselves on. It’s just wonderful – she’s a very exciting author. I am also super loving the work of Serena Bell. She has such great characters.

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Annika Martin

I’m a NYT bestselling author living a stone’s throw away from the Mississippi with my awesome husband and two cats in a home full of plants, sunshine and books. I’m heavy into writing love stories about criminals–some of them are dirty and fun (my Kinky bank robbers!) others are dark and intense (Prisoner!)

I also write gritty romantic suspense as the RITA-award winning author Carolyn Crane.

Skye Warren is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of dark romantic fiction. Her books are raw, sexual and perversely tender. For those new to her work, consider the bestseller Wanderlust or Don’t Let Go.

In the icy, monster-plagued world of the Frost, one wrong move and a person could end up dead—and Lia Weaver knows this better than anyone.

After monsters kill her parents, Lia must keep the family farm running despite the freezing cold and threat of monster attacks or risk losing her siblings to reassignment by the village Elders. With dangers on all sides and failure just one wrong step away, she can’t afford to let her emotions lead her astray. So when her sister finds a fugitive bleeding to death in the forest—a young stranger named Gabe—Lia surprises herself and does the unthinkable.

She saves his life.

Giving shelter to the fugitive could get her in trouble. The Elders have always described the advanced society of people beyond the Frost, the “Farthers,” as ruthless and cruel. But Lia is startled to find that Gabe is empathetic and intelligent…and handsome. She might even be falling in love with him.

But time is running out. The monsters from the forest circle the farm at night. The village leader is starting to ask questions. Farther soldiers are searching for Gabe. Lia must locate a secret organization called the Thorns to help Gabe escape to safety, but every move she makes puts her in more danger.

He came out of nowhere, hitting me hard from one side and knocking me over. We rolled together across the floor and he came out on top, his hands on either side of my head, holding my wrists down against the stones. His burning eyes bored into mine.

I couldn’t seem to find my breath. The whole world slowed down, and I realized with perfect clarity that he might kill me.

“Don’t scream,” he hissed.

I shook my head.

“How far is the village?” He whispered it, the words harsh and raspy in the air between us. I could see his mind working behind his eyes—was he calculating how long it would take him to try to struggle away on his own, how long before they found my lifeless body?

I was neither brave nor stupid. I told him what he wanted to know. “The village is less than a mile.”

He grimaced, and I realized he must be half-mad with the pain. Maybe if I moved suddenly, I could throw him off and get to the door…

He must have sensed my plan, for he pressed down harder on my wrists, keeping me pinned. “And the gate?”

“What gate? You mean the village gate?”

He didn’t explain. “The mountains, then.”

“The farm sits in its shadow,” I gasped. His hands were cutting off my circulation. “But killing me does nothing to help you. You are too weak to get far, and the Watchers fill the woods.”

His eyebrows drew together sharply, and he coughed. He was weakening—I could see it. “Kill you?”

His grip on my wrists slackened. I saw my chance, and I took advantage of it.

I slammed my elbow into his face. The Farther cried out, falling sideways like a puppet with its strings cut. I scrambled up for the door and yanked it open.

“Stop—wait—”

I turned. He was crumpled on the ground, his limbs shaking. I could see that he had no strength left.

“I’m sorry if I hurt you,” he gasped. “I just needed answers.”

I lingered, not running but not relaxing, either. “You would kill me for information, then?”

He pressed a hand against his side and wheezed a bewildered laugh. “I’m not a murderer of farm girls. Not even those who plan to harm me.”

“Harm you?” My words were sharp. “I’m sticking my neck out for you. I’m putting my family in danger for you. I’m sheltering and feeding you—and for what? It’s you who just tried to harm me.”

“I just needed information about my location,” he said, wincing at my words. He struggled up into a kneeling position and raised his dazzling blue eyes to mine. Blood colored his lip red. “I won’t try anything again, I promise, even though I know you want me dead.”

It was my turn to laugh, breathlessly. “You make no sense.” I grabbed the herbs from my pocket and brandished them at him. “I came to bring you these for your wound. I’m not going to kill you. I just want you gone before you can cause any more trouble.”

His expression turned inside out—the planes of his face softened in surprise, and his eyes widened slightly. But then they slitted shut, and I could tell he didn’t believe me. “You’re lying.”

“Why would I lie?” I snapped. “If I wanted to kill you, I’d have done it by now. I could have simply left you in the snow, or refused to clean your wounds, or refused to feed you.”

He was silent, considering this. Some of the wild terror on his face eased at the logic of what I’d said. “Why haven’t you? Left me to die, I mean?”

I didn’t answer that, because I didn’t know how to put my reasons into words. I didn’t even quite know what the reasons were.

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What book are you reading now?

Requiem, by Lauren Oliver. Fantastic book. Every word she writes is poetry.

Do you read a lot?

Yes! Although lately I’ve been reading more nonfiction. I try to read voraciously and widely, though—it’s important to stay exposed to lots of genres and styles as a writer.

Where do you like to write?

I usually write at my local public library, or a coffee shop near my house. I like to lose myself in the noise and atmosphere of quiet hustle and bustle—it keeps me focused and somehow filters out my own mental distractions. When I’m at home, I tend to procrastinate with Youtube or Netflix too much.

What is your writing process like?

I usually start with an outline, or something that you might call an outline if you squinted at it just right. I hate outlining, but it’s a useful way to organize preliminary thoughts and make sure you have a clear direction for the story. Then I sort of ignore the outline and just start writing. I almost always write in order from start to finish, but it depends on the book. If there’s a scene I’m itching to write and I see it all perfectly in my head, I might skip ahead and get it down on paper. When I’m done with the first draft, my editor and my beta reader get their hands on it, give me feedback, and then I revise. Rise and repeat. Most of the writing process comes down to revision and editing.

What was it like to write Frost?

When I write, I get immersed in the world of the story. Frost is set in a cold, dangerous place, so I lived in this mindset of chilly, grimness. When I’d finished the series, I started work on a new series set in about as different a place as I could imagine—warm and tropical. That became my Secrets of Itlantis series.

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Kate Avery Ellison

I live in Georgia with my wonderful husband and two spoiled cats. When I’m not writing, I’m usually catching up on my extensive Netflix queue, reading a book, giggling at something funny online, or trying to convince my husband to give me just ONE bite of whatever he’s eating.

Learn more about my writing and books at my blog find teasers for upcoming works on my Facebook page, and subscribe to my new releases newsletter to be notified of new novels as soon as they hit stores.

In her DJ booth at a Cleveland dance club, Casey feels a sense of connection that’s the closest she ever gets to normal. On her college campus, she’s reserved, practical–all too aware of the disaster that can result when you trust the wrong person. But inexplicably, Daniel refuses to pay attention to the walls she’s put up. Like Casey, he’s a senior. In every other way, he’s her opposite.

Sexy, open, effortlessly charming, Daniel is willing to take chances and show his feelings. For some reason Casey can’t fathom, he’s intent on drawing her out of her bubble and back into a world that’s messy and unpredictable. He doesn’t know about the deep scars that pucker her stomach–or the deeper secret behind them. Since the violent night when everything changed, Casey has never let anyone get close enough to hurt her again. Now, she might be tempted to try.

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He looked down at my mouth again, then back in my eyes, and his eyelids grew hooded. He leaned a fraction closer. “I have a confession.”

My pulse kicked up just a notch. “Why?”

“Why . . . what?”

I swallowed, fought every instinct to stare at his mouth. His full lips, now only six inches from mine. My body began to respond to his nearness, and I dragged in a ragged breath of his cologne. He smelled fresh, like a soft breeze on a spring day at the lake. I wanted to inch closer. No, stop it, I ordered myself. This was dangerous, to let myself even be this close to him.

“Um, why are you confessing something to me?” I finally asked him.

“You ask me the most unusual questions.” He gave a ghost of a smile. “Honestly, I don’t know. But I feel like I want to talk to you all night. Which is why I wanted to confess that I haven’t been able to get you off my mind.”

I swallowed, let his words sink in, then swallowed again. His honesty was disarming me, chipping piece by piece at the careful shield I had around myself.

“Casey,” he said on a soft breath. “You intrigue me.”

He opened his mouth to speak again, but before he could get out another word, I pushed my head forward, past the last few inches separating us, and pressed my lips to his. Daniel froze in surprise for just a moment, then slipped a hand to my forearm, stroking down until his fingers met mine.

With his other hand he cupped the back of my head and teased my mouth open with his tongue, tilting so he could deepen the kiss. He tasted like chocolate and Coke and something purely male, a combination that intoxicated me more than the beer.

My heart thrummed in a wild, erratic beat as he drank from my mouth. I opened wider, our tongues slipping and sliding, my breaths falling into his mouth in little pants. I moved closer, breasts brushing his lean and firm chest. His hand tangled deeper in my hair, and his body heat flooded through my thin shirt into my torso.

I was dizzy, drunk on him, aching with a surge of something intangible coursing through my veins. My core tightened; my belly fluttered.

He pulled back for a moment with a small gasp of air, eyes nearly black as he peered down at me. Then he gave me a crooked smile and kissed me again. Took my mouth in a sensual move that fluttered my lower belly.

I cupped his shoulders with both hands. His muscles bunched and flexed beneath my fingers. Heat poured off him, thickened the air around us.

His fingers stroked my scalp as he tasted me. The thumb on his right hand brushed against my thigh then moved up my leg, to the crease between my thigh and torso. The sensation of him so close to my stomach gave me a brief pause.

When his hand moved aside the bottom of my shirt and the very tip of his fingers brushed my bare stomach, I jerked away, pulling back to the other side of the car. It was like a bucket of ice water had been poured over my head. I tugged my shirt down as low as it could go, heart jackhammering against my rib cage.

Music is a strong running element in SCRATCH, which even includes a playlist at the end. How has music factored in your own life?

I started in music when I was 9—I played clarinet. Stayed involved in band through high school and college. I sang in a jazz ensemble, was a singer in a cover band, and I even DJ’d for a while. In short, music was a huge part of my life for a long time. I miss performing and have even been considering getting involved in it again!

Where did you get the idea for SCRATCH?

Part of it came from a real-life incident I’d heard that had stuck with me for many years. I always wondered what had happened to the girl who’d gone through such a traumatic event. How did she cope? How did she move on to love and trust again? This book was my exploration of how a woman who’d gone through hell could move forward and find real happiness.

Which scene in SCRATCH was the hardest for you to write?

Oh, it had to be the scene where Casey confesses to Daniel about her past. Finally opens up and divulges the painful truth. I sobbed as I wrote it—her pain was so vivid to me that I couldn’t shake it off for a while afterward. That was actually one of the hardest scenes I’ve ever written in my whole publishing career.

What is the follow-up book to SCRATCH?

The sequel to SCRATCH is BREAK YOUR HEART, which is her roommate Megan’s story. I can’t wait for you guys to read it—this one’s a little sexier, a little scandalous. And Nick is so foxy. 😉 Coming end of July, 2015!

You write young adult novels too—what do you have coming out in teen romance?

Next year I have two teen romances coming out with Simon Pulse—SPARKS IN SCOTLAND, which is a Scotland-set story about a girl who falls for a local Scottish boy while on vacation, and PROMPOSAL, which follows a girl and her best guy friend as they navigate love and drama during prom season. You can go to rhondahelmsbooks.com to find out more about the other teen romances I have out, too!

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Rhonda Helms

Rhonda Helms started writing several years ago and loves writing teen and New Adult romance. She has a Master’s degree in English and a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. She also freelance edits manuscripts.

When she isn’t writing, she likes to do amateur photography, dig her toes into the sand, read for hours at a time, and eat scads of cheese. WAY too much cheese.

Rhonda lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, two kids, a dog and a really loud cat. Visit her website at http://www.rhondahelmsbooks.com for more information about her and her releases.